


cue

by samthefurry



Category: Geography (Anthropomorphic)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:41:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26954521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/samthefurry/pseuds/samthefurry
Kudos: 2





	cue

Urbanisation  
Urbanisation is the growth in the proportion of a country living in urban areas . People are  
moving to urban areas all over the world but most of the population in richer countries already  
live in urban areas.  
More than 50% of the world’s population currently live in urban areas ( 3.4 billion people ) and  
more than 80% of the UK population live in urban areas.  
Urbanisation is happening faster in poorer countries as more are moving for better work and  
health opportunities which are available in cities.  
Since 1950, the rate of urbanisation has grown for both richer and poorer countries but the rate  
has been twice as great in poorer countries than richer countries. 25% of Bangladesh currently  
live in urban areas.  
The proportion living in urban areas is less in Low Income Countries than that of richer  
countries.  
It is usually young people who move to cities to find work. These people have children in the  
cities which increases the proportion of the population living in urban areas.  
Urban areas have better healthcare, service accessibility and life expectancy. As life  
expectancy is higher, the proportion of people living in urban areas is increased.  
Suburbanisation is the outward growth of urban  
development where people move to the suburbs.  
The suburbs are the outlying areas of the city which  
are close enough to the central business district so  
accessible by commuters. They are usually  
predominantly residential areas.  
Counter-urbanisation is when large numbers of  
people move from urban areas into surrounding  
countryside or rural areas . This is largely a  
demographic and social process.  
Urban growth is facilitated by economic, social, technological, political and demographic  
processes. These processes provide incentives, encouraging people to move to urban areas .  
For instance, the greater exposure to new technologies, cultures and job opportunities may  
entice people to move to cities for a better quality of life.  
Megacities  
Urbanisation has resulted in the growth of megacities which are metropolitan areas with a total  
population greater than ten million people. In 2015, there were 35 megacities in the world ; the  
largest being Tokyo, Delhi, Mumbai and Mexico City to name a few.  
Along with world cities, such as London and New York City (which have populations under 10  
million), megacities have an important role in global and regional economies as they have large  
markets and are central businesses districts involving the world.  
Cities also face urban change over time, such as deindustrialisation, decentralisation and the  
risks of service economies. Often, this leads to urban policies  
and regeneration schemes, which has been happening in Britain  
since 1979.  
For instance, after businesses moved away from the London  
Docklands, it became a derelict site, After regeneration and  
gentrification, it has become a business hotspot, attracting  
professionals and businesses.  
Urban Forms and Issues  
Urban forms are the physical characteristics that make up built areas, including the shape,  
size, density and configuration of settlements.  
When a city grows at a manageable rate, considered to be 1% annually, the infrastructure can  
keep pace with the growing demands of the population . However, with megacities, necessities  
such as public transportation, sewer systems, water facilities, healthcare and education  
become strained as the population density is too great to be managed.  
Without proper facilities, low income urban residents are forced to create their own provisions  
with the available resources . This leads to a rise in squatter settlements, poor health and poor  
sanitation. Additionally, urban growth may lead to urban sprawl which creates wider urban areas,  
forcing more places to become overcrowded and a reduction of countryside.  
The spatial patterns of land use in urban areas are said  
to follow The Burgess Model. This model claims that  
the centre of the city (CBD: Central Business District )  
is where commercial businesses and international  
exchanges occur.  
The next two rings are the inner city which has a mix of  
poor housing and older industrial buildings. The  
inner city is often deprived but can have newly built  
housing/industry where land has been regenerated.  
The fourth ring represents the suburbs which is residential housing, often being cheaper than  
within the central business district. In the UK and USA, middle-class families tend to locate in the  
suburbs as the environment is cleaner and safer than the central city.  
The final ring represents the rural-urban fringe which is the edge of a city where there are both  
urban and rural land uses.  
Urbanisation and Inequalities  
Urbanisation creates economic inequality, social segregation and cultural diversity which may  
lead to a rise in racism, hate crime and abuse but this varies globally.  
Ethnic segregation is closely related to economic  
indicators, such as income and employment, and social  
indicators such as health, crime and education .  
Segregation then leads stereotypes to form which creates  
bias and injustice within society.  
Diverse living spaces in urban areas have social  
characteristics that reflect ethnicity and culture.  
Segregation and other inequalities can be prevented by  
creating awareness and facilitating the needs of those who  
have been marginalised within urban areas.  
For example, Aik Saath (meaning ‘as one/ side by side’ in Hindi, Punjabi  
and Urdu) in Slough is a charity focused on integrating people from ‘all  
communities, faiths and backgrounds to encourage conflict resolution and  
community cohesion’.This is achieved through training, campaigns and  
projects.  
The charity was set up to stop gang violence and hate crime amongst  
young people from Asian backgrounds. The charity works in schools,  
colleges, universities and local events to reach a wide audience and  
create a social identity.  
Additional social problems in urban areas include a shortage of good quality housing, run down  
CBDs and traffic congestion. These issues can be fixed through urban renewal schemes , the  
creation of new towns, such as Milton Keynes which was made in the 1970s, relocation incentives  
and congestion charges.  
Urban Climate and Drainage  
Urban climate refers to climatic conditions within urban areas which differ from neighbouring  
rural areas.  
Urbanisation changes the form of the landscape and consequently produces changes in an  
area’s air quality.  
Surfaces that were permeable  
become impermeable and dry due to  
urbanisation. Urbanisation leads to a  
growth in impermeable surfaces due  
to the development of infrastructure ,  
roads and pavements.  
As well as impacting water drainage,  
the impermeable surfaces cause urban  
regions to become warmer than their  
rural surroundings, forming an  
‘island’ of higher temperatures. This is  
called the ‘urban heat island effect’.  
Urban structures are built to withstand wind speeds and damage from precipitation , particularly  
thunderstorms and hail storms.  
Urban precipitation, surfaces and catchment characteristics vary from rural counterparts. As the  
darker surfaces of the city absorb heat energy, the warmer temperatures will mean there are  
greater rates of evaporation.  
However, urbanisation can damage rivers and the water cycle through contamination and  
pollution. This can be solved through water conservation and river restoration, along with the  
development of sustainable urban damage systems (SUDS).  
It is the actions of key players, such as governments and local authorities, to develop and enforce  
these projects.  
Urban Waste and Disposal  
Urban physical waste is generated from industrial and commercial activity alongside personal  
consumption.  
Urban areas often have a consumerist culture which traditionally does not promote  
sustainability, reuse and recycling. Additionally, many people excuse themselves from making  
sustainable choices as they feel they have little input in improving the environment.  
Waste disposal is a serious problem due to:  
● Money: Poorer countries cannot afford to dispose waste sustainably and safely, such as  
toxic waste which requires special treatment.  
● Infrastructure: The lack of suitable infrastructure, i.e. the densely populated residential  
areas makes it difficult to carry out large scale recycling schemes.  
● Scale: Waste disposal is a huge problem. Landfills are not large enough and incineration  
results in further pollution and waste.  
Sustainable Urban Development  
Sustainable living involves meeting the needs of today without reducing the ability of people in  
the future to meet their needs.  
Urban areas have grown unsustainably and have a large ecological footprint due to the amount  
of waste and pollution emitted. Urban areas can however be managed sustainably through a  
range of strategies and schemes.  
Sustainability has numerous dimensions. The four pillars  
are: natural, physical, social and economic . For a project  
to be sustainable it must address these pillars. For instance,  
a scheme to bridge inequalities will address social and  
economic sustainability, helping people in the short and long  
term.  
Sustainable cities focus on the concept of liveability. This is the sum of factors that add up to a  
community’s quality of life , including the natural and built environment, economic prosperity,  
social stability, educational opportunity and cultural, economic and recreation possibilities.  
A city can become sustainable through:  
● Schemes to reduce waste and safely dispose of it: Limiting waste sent to landfills and  
optimising recycling opportunities.  
● Conserving natural environments and historic buildings: These are resources and if  
they get used up today, they will not be available for future generations. Historic buildings  
can be restored and natural environments can become protected.  
● Building on brownfield sites: By using derelict sites, land is not wasted and greenfield  
sites can be protected. They can provide homes and eliminate housing pressures.  
● Building carbon-neutral homes: For example, BedZED is a housing development in  
London which aims to be a carbon neutral project, saving energy for future generations.  
● Creating an efficient public transport system : This will mean there are fewer cars on the  
road so pollution is reduced.


End file.
